Personal Computer Games


Duck

Author: Shingo Sugiura
Publisher: Firebird
Machine: BBC Model B

 
Published in Personal Computer Games #14

Duck!

I eagerly loaded this curiously named game while I read the instructions. It reads: 'Farmer Tubby is out to bag a few ducks, and maybe a swan for his dinner. His trusty blunderbuss is small comfort against the zany hazards and surprises he encounters. Can you help him?'

It also tells you that Duck! is the daftest, funniest duck-shoot of them all and a sense of humour is essential.

When it finally loaded, yellow ducks assembled at the top of the screen and Tubby appeared at the bottom. You move him laterally and take pot shots at the ducks. From time to time, one of the ducks take a quick dive towards him.

Duck

Yes. it's another Galaxian rip-off, just when I thought I wouldn't be reviewing any more Galaxian copies!

But the game does have one or two nice points. On the second screen, ducks descend to the ground if you don't hit them. They then waddle around and get in your tubby way before zooming back to rejoin their brothers and sisters. Pretty zany, eh?

The graphics are quite good. The ducks do look like ducks and they do waddle. Your man is indeed tubby and he is animated very well. The sound is lively and the general presentation is quite high.

Duck

Nevertheless, there is no way that this can compete with offerings from software houses such as Acornsoft, Aardvark, Micropovver and Superior Software.

Maybe some people will buy it because it's so cheap but I only buy games if they are worth playing and this certainly isn't.

If British Telecom's subsidiary seriously thinks this is the daftest, funniest shoot-'em-up, I'd hate to know what they'd think of Frak! They'd probably die from laughter.

Peter Connor

Duck

An old idea which somehow kept me at the keyboard for at least half an hour, despite the game's almost crude appearance and less than thrilling gameplay. But I don't think I'd get it out of its case too often - it's too slow and repetitive to keep your attention. But it is cheap.

Simon Rogers

It says here that a sense of humour is essential. So, expecting a musical comedy, I sat through the superb loading music with baited breath. What I got was a bad cross between Chuckie Egg and Space Invaders.

To spend money on this, you do need a sense of humour. It's not the worst game I've ever played, it's just bad.

Rob Patrick

I remember the first arcade game I ever played: It was a version of Space Invaders. I remember the first program I typed into a personal computer: It was a version of Space Invaders. I remember the first game I ever bought: It was a version of Space Invaders. Now, five years on I'm commenting on... a version of Space Invaders.

This is a boring game.

Shingo Sugiura

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